RT-3 looking to be rescued

[Jeff M]

I have an RT-3 that has been in our family for close to 50 years. It was my mother's who played it regularly along with myself. It has a PR-40 and Leslie 22H (single speed rotor). It was last played two years ago by my brother (who doesn't play but he reports that he played "Chopsticks" with no problems). It has the pedalboard and bench. The case is mahogany. It is available, free of charge, to anyone who wants it. And therein lies a bit of a challenge: it is located in a camp in southern Maine about a mile off the main road. It won't be accessible until sometime around the first of May. It is located on the ground floor next to the front door, but it'll have to be carried down four front steps and then carried--not dollied--over rough ground about 75 feet to the driveway. The dirt access road is not suitable for large trucks or moving vans. My brother came close to chopping it up last year to get it out of the camp. I'd love to see someone save it......

[tpappano]

How about a pickup truck with a 5x8 trailer, can you get in with that? Home Depot will rent the trailer which has a low deck and ramp tailgate, and a F250 "super duty" to pull it with, pretty cheap, no mileage charge. You will want to rent some "Roll or Kari" dollies, too. As a new member, you may not realize, these dollies attach to each end, providing wheels and handles so that two or four people can easily lift and/or roll stuff like this. You probably want four to walk it over rough or soft ground.

[Drawbar Dave]

Is the F250 not able to carry the organ to the driveway? My Toyota 4x4 pick up truck would be able to do it if the organ was ratcheted down. The organ could then be put on the trailer.

[tpappano]

Oh yeah, and if the 'porch' is already four steps off the ground you might be able to slide it almost straight into the truck and not need the trailer. Getting it out of the truck when you get it home might be a slight challenge but four bodies should be able to handle it 8) These particular trucks also have 'drop sides' in addition to the tailgate so they can also be loaded from either side.

[Jeff M]

A pickup with a 5x8 would be about the max, but it still as to be carried from the front steps, which are at the front of the camp, across some rough ground to the rear of the camp.

[tpappano]

It looks like the roll or Kari dollies will be essential. Four bodies, carry a few feet, rest and repeat, until on the trailer. It will be worth it 8)

I think the weight of the organ by itself is about 450 lbs.
Check with your local equipment rental companies for the dollies, the might just know them simply as “piano dollies”, “Roll-Or-Kari” is their official brand name. Where I live they rent for about $20 a day.

[KC9UDX]

I don't get it. Is it a narrow path across rough ground? I'm trying to picture ground that can be walked on (from the steps) than an F250 can't drive on.

Sadly my Jeep and trailer are too far away. I wish I could remember the exact words of the guy who gave me his Concorde when he saw my Jeep.

[tpappano]

I agree, that truck can make its own road if necessary 8)
Great "snoot" pic btw, here's mine:

[Jeff M]

The truck can't fit between the rear corner of the camp and a large pine tree. Trust me, dollies won't work here. There are numerous pine roots and rocks. Probably closer to fifty or sixty feet it would have to be carried.

[Drawbar Dave]

The engineer in me says chop the tree down!

[KC9UDX]

If it's preventing this, it's likely problematic other times!

[tpappano]

Offer a couple friends a free dinner and it should go well 8)

[David Anderson]

I had to move a D-152 (same size, even heavier) earlier this year. It was not fun.

First, you need the ROK dollies. Given the description, then you probably need four strong, fit helpers. Once the ROKs are in place, you could then put some cross-bars (vertical 2x4s?) under the ROK handles, projecting horizontally out on both sides, possibly tying or strapping them in place. Then, each person could have the cross-bar across his shoulders and lift the entire organ off the ground where it was necessary. You can get ROKs across unpaved ground that's not too rough or muddy on the wheels with one person on each handle.

Either that or use the ROKs plus some custom-made wheel attachments with the large inflatable rubber wheels you find on some hand-trucks.

I moved the D-152 down a steep flight of wooden stairs by taking some long pieces of 4x4 wood I happened to have in the garage and using them as rails. I even screwed wooden stretchers to the top and bottom to keep them just the right width apart. Then, we got the organ on the rails at the top (ROKs attached, wheels up) and slid it down to the bottom. Worked perfectly.

You need to walk the area beforehand and then plan how you're doing to deal with each obstacle. Arrange for one extra helper in the event that someone has to cancel. I had to reschedule my move because I arrived to find that the movers who were supposed to help get the organ out of the house it was in (arranged by the guy handling the sale of the house) didn't show up.

[KC9UDX]

Or, attach gold rings to the corners, and insert staves of gold-overlaid shittim wood into the rings.

[tpappano]

Ooh, be careful, that almost sounds like sexual content 8)

[KC9UDX]

And I didn't even use the word "organ".

[Papus]

Would a small motorised pallet lift do the job?

Hovercraft?
Classified TR3-B anti-grav technology?

[tpappano]

Hire a Chinook, they use them to set hvac units on rooftops around here 8)

[hammonddme100]

I really hope that someone could save this organ! And please dont chop it up....